


Affection, Rats, and Dogs

by IRegretNothingAndEverything



Series: Tommy is of the stars, Benrey of the void, Bubby of the tube, and Coomer of the enhanced. Gordon? Gordon's along for the ride. [10]
Category: half life but the ai is self aware
Genre: Getting Together, King the rat, M/M, Tommy is pining, also Gordon is kinda not human, babey!, it gay babey!, no one is cis or straight or neurotypical i make the rules fuckers, not because im writing all the things cause im bored in my dorm room, this happens simultaneously with Transformation, which is why im writing at the same time y'know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25891687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IRegretNothingAndEverything/pseuds/IRegretNothingAndEverything
Summary: Gordon runs into Darnold again, and takes him back to Tommy's apartment. Immediately, the science team realizes something.Tommy had a crush.
Relationships: Benrey/Gordon Freeman, Bubby/Dr. Coomer (Half-Life), Tommy Coolatta/Darnold
Series: Tommy is of the stars, Benrey of the void, Bubby of the tube, and Coomer of the enhanced. Gordon? Gordon's along for the ride. [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1871698
Comments: 17
Kudos: 215





	1. Pet Store

**Author's Note:**

> No, I'm not starting two different multi chap fics in this cause I'm just powering through works rn... don't worry about.

Gordon went shopping for the team. The only one who might be trusted with it was Coomer, but he tended to get a lot more soda than other foods, and Gordon wanted to cook. He also tended to stop by the pet store, after dropping groceries off at Tommy’s apartment, which was now bigger on the inside and meshed with Gordon’s apartment, capable of holding all of them in one house. 

It felt safer that way. Gordon was glad he didn’t have to get used to sleeping alone again. 

Still, he’d grab dog food for Sunkist nearly as often as human food. She as big dog. She needed a lot of food. 

As he hefted the bag of dog food up onto one arm, trying to resist the urge to chew on the inside of his cheek-the new teeth were... sharp. He tended to bleed a lot-Gordon paused, hearing a familiar voice. 

“Now... what can we get you King? You deserve a new little toy...” Gordon, dog food balanced on one arm, walked down an aisle or two, and stopped, blinking once. 

“Darnold?” 

The man straightened up, turning quickly. On his shoulder perched a black rat, moving between his two shoulders and occasionally tumbling into Darnold’s hood. 

“Dr. Freeman?” Darnold asked, and Gordon grinned, completely missing the way Darnold’s eyes flicked to his teeth, eyes wide. 

“It is you! What’s your rat’s name, he’s cute.” Gordon had actually gotten distracted by him in fact, the little hands holding a piece of lint close to his face. 

“Uh... This is... King.” Darnold paused on occasion as he managed to snag King out of his hood, holding him in one hand, showing him to Gordon. “He’s uh, a silvered bristle.” If Gordon looked closely, he could see the grey hairs dotted through his coat, and nodded. 

“He’s pretty.” Gordon hummed, then looked back up to Darnold. “Sorry, love rat’s, always wanted one but never thought I would have the time to give them the care they deserve, y’know?” Darnold laughed at that, seeming to relax a bit. 

“Didn’t know you had a dog though.” Darnold said, and Gordon glanced to the large bag of dog food on his shoulder. 

“Oh, I don’t this is for Sunkist, Tommy’s dog!” 

“Oh!” Darnold perked up at Tommy’s name. “How, how’s he doing?” 

Gordon blinked at that, focusing on that reaction for a moment. “Pretty good, though after Black Mesa there were a few... issues... You know his dad?” 

“That... creepy dude in a suit that was like... everywhere and nowhere all the time?” 

“Yeah... I broke his nose!” Gordon grinned, and Darnold let out a surprised laugh, holding King close to his chest. 

“You... you broke his nose?” 

“Yeah... there’s a lot more to that story, but it’s a really long story, so... you might need to visit the apartment to make sense of it all.” Gordon smiled kindly at him, this time keeping his teeth in check, hiding the sharpness behind his lips. “I don’t think any of us would mind you coming over if you didn’t mind it!” 

“I uh... even with King?” 

“Even with King. Pretty pet friendly, though with Sunkist, it has to be.” Gordon watched him deliberate it for a moment, and was a bit surprised to find Darnold nodding. 

“Alright. Let me grab a toy for him and then I’ll meet you out front?” Gordon nodded slightly, and then went to check out the bag of dog food, waiting out front for Darnold to come out. 

Maybe it would be good to have someone else in that house. He chewed at his thumb nail, then cursed when his teeth caught on his thumb. 

“Uh... you alright?” Gordon looked up at Darnold, who was standing with a bag, and King in his hood again, head poking out and sniffing along the back of Darnold’s hair. 

“Yeah, yeah... just... trying to get used to somethings.” 

“I did think those teeth were new.” Darnold commented, and Gordon sighed, nodding slightly. 

“They are.” Gordon explained as they began to walk towards the apartment. “It’s part of the long story, but you know Benrey?” 

“The one who installed the Pyro update on my work computer?” Darnold asked, and Gordon winced. 

“Yeah, uh, he’s not an ass like that anymore... Well, he does this thing called sweet voice?” 

“I know sweet voice!” Darnold grinned at him, and Gordon grinned back. 

“Well... if you consume it, apparently, you end up... turning into what he is, which, we don’t know what that is, but it’s happening to me, so...” Gordon pulled his cheek back to show off his sharp teeth. “Teeth.” 

“Bet that hurt.” Darnold brought one hand up to check on King, while also pushing his earbud back into his ear. 

“Nah. It happened while I was sleeping, but I never knew which ones were going to come out? So I’d wake up with teeth on my tongue, that was trippy.” 

“I’ll bet.” Darnold trailed off, as Gordon paused at a door, fumbling with his key to unlock the front gate to the building, holding it open for Darnold. He walked up the staircase, pausing at the door to look back at Darnold. 

“You good?” 

There was a pause, before Darnold nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”


	2. Wrestling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey btw, I love King

“Hey guys! I’m home!” Gordon held the door open for Darnold to pass by him, before setting down the bag of dog food. Sunkist lifted her head from the couch and hopped down, revealing Tommy had been underneath her. She moved over, sniffling at the bag, then Gordon, before turning her attentions to Darnold. 

She paused, circling him once, before sniffing at his hand, ducking her head under it so that he would have to pet her. Darnold laughed softly, petting her head lightly, crouching down next to her. King peeked over his shoulder from his hood, and Sunkist leaned up just a bit to catch his scent, then contented herself with being pet by Darnold. 

Tommy whined softly. “Did you steal my dog, Mr. Freeman?” He mumbled, sitting up from his spot. His hair was a mess, clothing rumpled, and just generally looking disheveled. He stood, brushing himself off and turning, eyes going wide. “Oh, uh-” 

Darnold glanced up at him, smiling softly, looking back down to Sunkist. “Sorry Tommy...” With Darnold looking down at Sunkist, Tommy took that chance to flatten down his hair a bit, smiling at Darnold when he stood again, Sunkist moving over to Tommy’s side. Darnold tilted his head, then laughed softly. “I see why she’s so big.” 

Tommy nodded, patting Sunkist’s head. “I uh, made her, and they said that dogs were... up to your hip? So I made her up to my hip... Probably should’ve figured they meant someone who isn’t my height...” He laughed nervously, and Darnold just grinned. 

“Big dogs are better though.” He shifted slightly, as King climbed up onto his shoulder. Tommy finally noticed the rat, eyes lighting up. 

“Oh!” Tommy moved closer, grinning. “I didn’t know you had a pet rat!” 

Darnold laughed, scooping up King and carefully taking one of Tommy’s hands, placing the rat into it. Tommy grinned, carefully petting King’s head. “His name is King. He’s a silvered bristle. I’ve been debating getting another rat for awhile, but King is enough for me...” 

Gordon, who had walked past them when Tommy stood and settled on the ground next to Benrey-who was playing Minecraft-glanced back at them, slowly narrowing his eyes, before turning back to watching Benrey feed all his cows wheat, overfilling the fenced in area they were in with cows. “So...” He kept his voice quiet, and Benrey nodded. 

“Oh Tommy’s into him, yeah.” Benrey hummed, just barely, and Gordon grinned. 

“Knew it.” Gordon grinned, and Benrey elbowed him. Gordon frowned at him, before blowing green into his face. Benrey waved it away, only to find he had fallen into the cow hell pit. It had no gate. 

“You motherfucker-” 

“If you sit there and die, you’ll respawn back into your house. Keep inventory is on, right?” 

“Yeah, cause you’re all bitch babies.” Gordon blew green at him again, and Benrey put down the controller, launching himself at Gordon as he scrambled to get away. 

Darnold glanced behind Tommy at them, and Tommy just shook his head. “Nope. Let’s not get in between that, let’s go into the kitchen. It’ll be safe there.” 

It was not. 

Bubby and Coomer were also wrestling.

Tommy stared at them a moment, blinking slowly. “How did we not hear them?” 

Darnold watched, head tilted slightly. “I dunno. There’s a small fire in there.” 

“Yeah, that’s Bubby. He lights things on fire with emotions sometimes... It won’t hurt him, and he wouldn’t hurt Dr. Coomer...” Tommy watched them a moment longer. 

“Is there... anywhere else we can retreat to so we don’t get dragged into this?” 

Tommy paused. “Well the tube room is across the living room, so it’s dangerous to get over there but... we can go to my room?” 

Darnold paused a moment, and Tommy focused on King, so he wouldn’t go bright red. “Alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They do be gay tho *eyes emoji*


	3. Meddling Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmmm... the ideas for this one died as I wrote Transformation, uhhhh oops.

When Tommy and Darnold disappeared into Tommy’s room, Gordon shifted, shoving Benrey down and grabbing a pillow to smother him with, barely even muffling Benrey’s loud obnoxious laughter. “Guys!” He called out to Bubby and Coomer, and Coomer stopped toying with Bubby, finally pinning him. 

“Yes Gordon?” 

“Did you see Tommy and Darnold?” Gordon squeaked as Benrey managed to get out from under the pillow, flipping them so Gordon was the one on the floor, Benrey sitting on his chest grinning. 

“Oh! Is Darnold here?” Coomer grinned, and Gordon sighed. 

“Yeah. They’re in Tommy’s room right now.” Gordon stared at him, watching as both Bubby and Coomer processed this. Bubby paused for a moment, before grinning. 

“I fucking knew it.” Gordon laughed, shifting to smack Benrey off his chest with a pillow to the face. Benrey went down, spewing random sweet voice everywhere as he went. Gordon sat up, grinning. 

“Exactly. And trust me, if you were out here to see them, you would have noticed it immediately. Even me-” 

“Oblivious asshole.” 

“Exactly, even me, oblivious asshole can tell.” 

Bubby frowned. “If you can tell, then it’s far too much for them to not know.” 

“Says you, dear.” Bubby growled slightly, pouting as Coomer just grinned at him. Gordon huffed, shaking his head a bit. 

“Focus. We’re all oblivious, and we know Tommy isn’t human, so think how easily he could misinterpret everything. Think about it. Bubby and Benrey misinterpreted a lot at the start, right?” 

Coomer hummed, nodding slightly, as Bubby bitched behind him. “So... we have to make sure that they don’t mess this up like you two almost did!” 

“... Yeah, sure, whatever you say.” Gordon pouted, then shrieked as Benrey tackled him from behind. “Where you even paying attention?!” 

“Of course, bro, get Tommy and Darnold together, easy.” Benrey then sat on his back, pinning Gordon there for a moment. Only a moment, as Gordon shifted, then pushed himself up on his knees easily, Benrey shouting as he fell back onto the floor. 

Tommy poked his head out of his room. “Are you guys okay?” Gordon looked over at him, realizing that King was in his hair. He sent a thumbs up over to him, and Tommy smiled slightly. “Done with... whatever it is you guys were doing?” 

Tommy got his answer a moment later when Benrey tried to tackle Gordon once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Attempts... We shall see where this goes. Also this is kinda short, apologies, but it's like... 90% filler.


	4. Evil Powerade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain finally worked again bois!!!

They were in the room for a few hours, and only left when Darnold said he had to go, carefully taking King from where the rat had fallen asleep on Tommy’s head. Tommy walked him outside, keeping the conversation going-apparently Darnold had gotten close to a breakthrough in Evil Powerade, and offered Tommy to come taste it with him when it was done, and invitation that he gladly accepted-until Darnold waved to him as he walked down the street, bag in his hand as King slept in his hood. 

Tommy shut the door behind him, grinning to himself, only to jump and go bright red when he saw Gordon sitting there, leaning over the weird island thing by the door, grinning at him, amusement floating up from the corner of his mouth. Tommy glared at him, batting at the color amidst Gordon’s laughter. 

“Soooooo... someone’s got a crush....” 

“I am older than you by millennia, you aren’t allowed to tease me, Gordon Freeman!” Tommy glared at him, and Gordon just laughed, sinking out of view behind the weird island thing. Tommy could still see the top of his head at his height, but didn’t mention it as he rounded it, ignoring Benrey’s wolf whistle. 

“Now now you two, young love is beautiful! We shouldn’t make fun of poor Tommy too much for a crush!” Coomer smiled over at him, and for a second, Tommy felt grateful for him, before Bubby piped up from his shoulder. 

“You’re kidding no one, Harold, we’re going to tease him just as much as we did Gordon and Benrey.” Tommy looked betrayed, as Coomer just grinned, nodding a bit. 

“Sorry Tommy, he’s right! It’s only fair.” 

“Y’all fuck?” Benrey said, and then shouted as Tommy glared at him, eyes glowing. Since Gordon started shifting, Tommy had felt more comfortable being less human around them, and no one seemed to care. It was rather nice, even if it did get a bit warm in the room if he became too much. 

It was the opposite of his father, the way he sucked the warmth from the room with a single glance. 

He shook his head slightly to get away from those thoughts, not wanting to focus on that over everything else he could focus on. Tommy still glared at Benrey, who just grinned, completely unrepentant for his sins. 

No surprise there. He never had been in the past. 

“Of course not! We, we talked about his Evil Powerade flavor, and how he’s still got a lab to make it, and we talked about Sunkist and King!” 

“Alright, alright, don’t tease him too much. We all know what we were like.” Gordon sent a pointed look to Benrey at that, and then to Bubby when he started to speak up as well. “We all know. What we were like.” 

“Fine, fine... So I caught a few things on fire here and there.” Bubby muttered, pouting into Coomer’s side, while Coomer just laughed softly. 

Tommy sighed softly, relaxing. “No one gets to tell him, I mean that.” He glanced around, and none of them reacted. He couldn’t decide if this was good or bad, so he decided to be tentatively worried, but ignore it for now. 

They fell into silence again, before Benrey piped up again. “You sure you didn’t-” 

“Shut up!!” Embarrassment bubbled out of Tommy’s mouth, and he clapped a hand over his mouth quickly. Gordon just stared at him for a moment, before nodding. 

“So that’s how you could read it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Darnold is barely here, but I just wanted them teasing Tommy, it's soft.


	5. Blunt Advice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This became something I didn't mean it to be, but I really like it.

They all had sleeping problems, which was understandable. None of them could really sleep alone anymore, and it often ended up with them in the living room piled together. Sometimes Gordon and Benrey would break off to sleep in Gordon’s room, and sometimes it was Bubby and Coomer, and very rarely, only one night so far, they had all managed to be in their own rooms, though none of them slept all that well in the end. 

So it was unsurprising when one or more of them were awake at two am, on the couch doing something, or in the kitchen, and this time, it just so happened to be Tommy and Coomer. Bubby was asleep, head on Coomer’s lap, body curled up as tight as he seemed to be able too, Coomer slowly raking his fingers through his hair, which was probably the only sort of brushing the mess got on a regular basis. Tommy, on the other hand, had stopped in the kitchen, grabbing a soda and moving back to the living room slowly, settling on Coomer’s other side, just holding the soda for now, looking down towards the floor, where Gordon and Benrey were clinging to one another, sleeping quietly, Sunkist laying over their chest, staring quietly at Tommy. He smiled at her, and she narrowed her eyes for a moment, before closing them, settling into her spot more comfortable. Green bubbled up between them, and Tommy hummed. 

“If it’s green like brown bent, they’re content.” He murmured on instinct and Coomer looked over at him. 

“How is it green if it’s called brown bent?” He asked, and Tommy smiled softly. 

“It’s a type of parasitic grass that can’t survive in warmer temperatures, but lays dormant. It’s also called bentgrass, makes it look like something’s wrong with your lawn. I just like making them rhyme. It’d be easier to say ‘oh he’s feeling content’ but if it rhymes you remember it easier.” Tommy explained, popping open the soda can with a hiss and taking a sip, shivering slightly as when the carbonation hit his throat, a feeling he can never fully get used to no matter how much soda he drinks. 

Coomer nods with this knowledge, looking down at Bubby quietly as he slept, fingers clutching onto the blanket tightly, and even so, Tommy could see the way his hands would shake, muscles still regrowing underneath, and Tommy hummed softly, letting his rarely used sweet voice settle in blue to green around Bubby. He could not fix it perfectly, but he could ease pain, and he watched Bubby relax a moment, and Coomer smiled at him, still silent, all the thanks Tommy needs is seeing Bubby calm, the pain in the room ease for even a moment. 

It’s quiet. Tommy knows neither of them will sleep, not tonight, and maybe not even tomorrow, and he takes another sip of the soda, relishing the burn of the carbonation, feeling the burn of it relax him. He was still here, real, but despite that. He wasn’t going to go to bed. 

“You feeling alright, Tommy?” Coomer asked softly, and Tommy glanced over at him, nodding slightly. The silence came back, only broken by the soft breathing of the others, curled up in an area around them, sleeping in peace, and Tommy sighed slowly, turning his head back towards the wall, trying to think of something else. His phone went off, and it took him a moment to lift his hand to grab it. 

Darnold was still awake as well, which slightly upset Tommy, as he knew how traumatizing Black Mesa was, and he had no one to be there for him. It was an update text apparently, and Tommy smiled softly realizing that Darnold typed in all caps when he was excited. It was cute, to be completely honest. At the moment, he had been working, as Tommy assumed, with the fact that he had to decipher a few words from typos, and had managed to create Evil Powerade. He invited Tommy over later that day-Darnold said tomorrow, but it was past midnight by then, and Tommy liked to keep a strict timeline in his head-to come try it with him, to be able to record reactions. Tommy hummed, setting down his soda on the floor next to his foot to send a message back. 

“Darnold?” Coomer asked, and Tommy smiled softly, nodding. “I figured, with that little smile you’ve got there.” Tommy went red, shooting a half-hearted glare towards him as he sent the text and set his phone aside, leaning down to pick up his soda again. “Now there’s no need to be embarrassed, Tommy, we’re all victims to the love bug, you know.” 

“I know...” Tommy hummed, glancing back towards Benrey and Gordon. “I just don’t want to end up locked in a tube because I can’t get it together, and, while you two were cute, ten months of fucking things up probably isn’t the best for someone who works in potions.” He smiled softly, head falling back as he stared up at ceiling. Coomer hummed in acknowledgement. 

“Well... talk about it then. That was our problem, we didn’t talk about anything.” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know, I just... I don’t wanna lose him, you know?” Tommy glanced over at Coomer, frowning to himself. 

“I get it Tommy, but that is unfortunately a future you would have to face. I’m not saying it is at all likely, but it’s part of the horrifying ordeal of being known. Loving and being loved is terrifying but...” He looked down at his husband, drooling on his pant leg, and smiled. “So very very worth it.” 

Tommy glanced down at Bubby, frowning slightly, before tilting his head, imaging himself and Darnold in a position like that, or the one like Benrey and Gordon, curled up around each other and clinging, a dark green floating around them. He thought about it for just a moment, and found himself smiling softly. He opened his eyes again, smile still on his face and Coomer grinned at him. 

“If it’s any consolation, if Darnold doesn’t feel the same, which I highly doubt, he is a kind man. He wouldn’t hold it over you, and he wouldn’t abandon you for it.” Coomer said softly, and Tommy nodded, draining the rest of the soda and crushing the can against his head, setting the crushed can to the side, closing his eyes. He didn’t say anything, but it wasn’t needed, as the comfortable silence came back, and Tommy kept his eyes closed, listening to the quiet breathing of his sleeping friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I think there's only another chapter or two, but who knows


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter babey!!! Hope you enjoyed!

Nearing breakfast, Coomer managed to slip free from Bubby, gently tugging him over to lay his head on Tommy’s lap instead, as Bubby was still sleeping. Tommy was awake, but not exactly there, staring up at the ceiling, unblinking for the past four hours. He had lost himself in thought, and barely noticed when Bubby’s head was on his lap rather than Coomer’s. 

It showed how much Bubby actually cared about them when he didn’t move when he woke up, instead laying there in silence as well, eyes darting between the kitchen and where Benrey and Gordon still lay. Benrey was awake, but Gordon was not, passed out on top of Benrey’s chest, snoring softly. 

Coomer poked his head out of the kitchen, and that’s when Bubby sat up, shaking hands wrapping the blanket around him carefully. Tommy blinked once, then hissed, leaning forwards. Bubby shot him a weird look and Tommy rubbed at his eyes. 

“Fuckin... Haven’t blinked in ages. Jesus.” He opened his eyes, which were red now and watering slightly, and Bubby snorted. Tommy sent a half glare at him, and stood, moving over and poking Gordon in the back with his foot a few times. Gordon groaned, and Benrey pouted up at him. “Breakfast, dude.” 

Benrey pouted at him still, and shifted to wake Gordon, as Tommy and Bubby shuffled into the kitchen, Bubby still clinging onto the blanket. It was quiet while they ate, per usual, and they dispersed around the house once awake. Tommy slipped into his bedroom to change, before stepping out, tugging on a pair of skates, and whistling for Sunkist, harness in hand. 

Once on, they were out, Sunkist dragging Tommy along as she booked it down the streets, and Tommy just laughed. He knew she knew where she was going, so didn’t steer too much, just held on and pulled himself closer on the leash when needed to avoid the wide turns. She always seemed to have fun when they went out on their walks, and, when Tommy checked the time, he knew that it was early, but still late enough that he could held to Darnold’s. 

When Sunkist has stopped at a park to breathe for a moment, surrounded by children as she usually ended up getting, he sent a text over to Darnold, to see if he was awake. He was, and agreed to have a bowl of water waiting for Sunkist when they got there, and off they went again, waving to the gathered children that had been, moments before, clambering all over the large dog. 

They pulled to a stop, and Tommy realized that Darnold had steps leading up to his apartment building, and groaned softly, grabbing the handrail to avoid falling in his skates. Sunkist followed behind him, dragging her leash as she followed up, pushing open the door for him to roll through, sending another text to Darnold. 

Of course he was on the third floor... in a building with no working elevator. 

Tommy didn’t die on his way up, luckily, and slowly rolled down the hall, Sunkist trotting happily by his side, until he stopped at the door and knocked, hunching quite a bit to fit inside the building. Darnold opened the door, his eyes going wide when he spotted Tommy, who smiled back, raising a hand to wave. 

“Are you... okay?” 

“Oh yeah, I’m used to having to hunch like this, so I usually just sit so it’s not as obvious. I did however almost trip and uh, almost fell quite a few times on the stairs. Rollerskates and stairs don’t mix.” He ducked a bit further down to slide into the apartment, Sunkist following behind, darting towards the bowl of water that Darnold had placed for her. Tommy smiled at him, and Darnold smiled back, beckoning him into the apartment. He had to duck under another doorway, before he was in what was obviously Darnold’s lab. 

He got the only chair, Darnold instead leaning against the table, holding a beaker in one hand. “It’s been in the fridge for a few hours, so it’s cold.” He poured a bit into two red solo cups that he had, and Tommy lifted his carefully, swirling it slowly. 

“... Smells like Durian.” He commented, nose wrinkling, and Darnold laughed softly, nodding. 

“It smells so bad. Means good things to come I’m sure.” He murmured, looking down at it. Tommy glanced down as well, frowning at the strange color. If this was sweet voice, he would think that Benrey was sick. He looked up at Darnold, who smiled back reassuringly, and they stared for a moment longer before knocking back the bit in the cup. 

Tommy almost choked, but swallowed it down, reminding himself of his college days, however many times he had gone by now, and tried to pretend the burn was just like that. He set the cup down, eyes closed. “... why did you make this?” He asked softly, and Darnold made some sort of noise as he slid to the floor. 

“I don’t know...” 

“It tastes like hatred and pain... like, it’s if you tried to take all the good flavors and, and mix them and it’s just bad!” Tommy laughed softly, head falling back as he coughed, and Darnold snorted from his position on the floor. 

“It’s just... it’s hell. Why did I do this?” He asked again, looking up at Tommy, laughing, and Tommy glanced at him, grinning back, grabbing for a water bottle and tossing it down to him. Darnold caught it one hand, taking a swig quickly. “God I can still taste it. It’s like... if you gargled hot garbage water.” 

That set Tommy off, and he slipped off the chair to lay on the floor snickering, and Darnold grinned at him, shifting over to tug Tommy up to sitting position next to him, as they laughed. Tommy shifted, leaning a bit against Darnold, and they drifted into silence. For a moment, they did nothing, before Tommy shifted his arm, lacing his fingers with Darnold’s. There was no complaint, and Darnold even squeezed his hand for a moment. 

Tommy shifted again, turning his head towards Darnold, Darnold glancing over at him. It was quiet, and Tommy puffed up his cheeks, causing Darnold to smile at him, and Tommy grinned back. He fought past the anxiety, going to lean in, only to find Darnold had beaten him to it, pressing their lips together softly. 

He smiled into, holding onto Darnold’s hand, feeling completely content, like everything had slotted into place perfectly... except... 

Tommy pulled back, trying not to laugh. “... I can still taste it.” 

Darnold collapsed into his lap laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evil Powerade tastes like hate, pain, and raw sewage, and yet, Darnold does not regret creating it. It brought them together in the end... maybe it wasn't so evil. 
> 
> No, no, it... it definitely was evil, he's gonna pour the rest of that down the drain when he gets up.

**Author's Note:**

> So... First chapter! Gordon kidnaps Darnold and King!


End file.
